Bottom structure for folding paper boxes



Aug. 24, 1943. R A HIMES A 2,327,7m

BOTTOM STRUCTURE FOR FOLDING PAPER BOXES Filed March 28, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Ease A. H/MES ATTORNEY Aug. 24, 1943. R. A; HIMES BOTTOMSTRUCTURE FOR FOLDING PAPER BOXES Filed March 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. fess A. fi /M55 BY 44&

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 24, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE/1' Ross A.Himes, Oakland, Calif.

Application March 28, 1941, Serial No. 385,669

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a bottom structure for folding paper boxes,and particularly to-that form shown in my co-pending applicationentitled Bottle carrier," filed March 28, 1941, Serial No. 385,668, nowPatent No. 2,273,266.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplifythe construction and operation of bottom structures of the characterdescribed; to'provide a multiple section bottom for folding boxes whichwill automatically unfold and become extended in unison with theunfolding or opening of the side and end'walls of the box; to provide abottom structure embodying two side and two end bottom sections, andparticularly to provide an interlock between the adjacent free sides ofthe side bottom sections which will support them with relation to eachother and also secure them against lateral and longitudinal separation;to provide means for guiding the several bottom sections intopredetermined positions when unfolding or opening the box; and further,to provide a pair of side bottom sections which are tied together insuch a manner as to support each other and at the.

same time will form a support for the end bottom sections.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the box blank;

Fig, 2 is a similar view showing the bottom sections of the box blankfolded over the side and end wall sections;

Fig, 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the sections 2 and 2afolded over the sections 3 and 3a. and partially over the sections 4 and4a;

Fig. 4 shows the last folding operation and the completed folded box inflat form;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the bottom of the box, showing thepositions assumedby the respective sections before they reach a flatplane; the side and end walls of the box have been removed to show thebottom sect ons more clearly;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the box, partially broken away, showingit in fully extended or open position; and

Fig. '7 is a bottom view of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Fig. 1, a blankis-shown which is formed from a die-out cardboard or similar material.This blank is out and creased to form a pair of side wall sections'2 and4 and a pair of end wall sections 3 and 5. Thesesections are 'foldablyconnected by crease lines formed at the points 6, 'l' and 8, and theside wall section 2 is provided with a creased glue flap 9 which servesto connect the free corners of the box when assembling the same.

The bottom of the box is formed from four separate sections, to wit, apair of side bottom sections 2a and 4a, which foldably join therespective side Wall sections 2 and 4 along the crease lines it) and ii,and a pair of end bottom sections 3a. and 5a., which are foldably joinedto the respective end wall sections 3 and 5 by crease lines i2 and iii.

The side bottom section 2a is cut away as at l4 to form a lug l5, and aslit is cut at the point iii to form a reinforcing flap I! which formsan extension of .a glue flap I8, said flap. being bendable with relationto the bottom section 2a by forming a diagonal crease line IS. The sidebottom section 3a is left intact,,as it is going to overlie the otherbottom sections when the box is assembled. The side bottom section 4ahas a crease line 20 to form a glue flap 2 i A slit is cut as at 22 toform a. lug 23, and it is cut away as at 24 and 25 to form a lug 26 anda guiding or de fleeting corner 21. The end bottom section 5a is cutaway at one side, at an angle of substantially as shown at 28,"toprovide clearance and to prevent interference when the bottom sectionsare being folded into place.

A box plank out and creased in the manner shown in Fig. 1 may be foldedand assembled by machine operation or by hand, but as no machine isillustrated, let it be assumed that the box is to be folded, glued andassembled by hand. If that is the. case, the first operation inassembling the box will be that of folding the side 0 and end bottomsections along the crease lines .Ill, II, l2; and I3, to overlie thewall sections of the box, indicated at 2, 3, 4 and 5,- as shown in Fig.2.

When this'has been accomplished, glue is applied to the areas indicatedat I811, 2m and 9a. Thereafter the sections 2 and 2a in their foldedcondition are folded on the crease line 6 to overlie the sections'ii and3a, and partially to overlie the sections 4 and 4a. When this fold hasbeen completed, the partially folded blank will have the appearanceshown in Fig. 3, and in this position the gluefiap l8 and its extensionll will .contact the glue area "la and will permanently adhere thereto.The next and'final operation is that of folding the sections 5 and. 5aon the line 8 to overlie the sections 4 and 4a and the flap 9. The gluearea 2H1. will thus overlieand engage the flap 2| and will adherethereto, while the glue area 9a will overlie the flap 9 and will adhereas the bottom section thereto, In this position the box blank iscompletely {folded and assembled, and may then be delivered to thetrade, and it may be retained in the flat condition until ready for use,the final flat condition assumed by the box being shown-in Fig. 4.

When the box is to be used, or in other words opened or extended, it isonly necessary for the person handling the folded box to grasp it in twohands and to push inwardly on the corners 30 and 3| of the box (see Fig.In doing so the side and end wall sections of the box will finally reacha position at right angles to each other, as shown in Fig. 6, and theglue flaps i8 and 2| will simultaneously direct the bottom sections intotheir proper positions; and when they reach their fully extended orproper positions the side bottom sections 4a will be lowermost and willbe connected to the end bottom section Ed by the glue flap 2|, whichwill rest on top thereof. On top of this will rest the side bottomsection 2a, which is connected to the end bottom section 3a. by the glueflap i8, this latter named bottom section therefore assuming the top oruppermost position.

The extended portion 26a of the side bottom section 4a will extend overand rest on top of the side bottom section 2a and will interlocktherewith, as the lug 26 will extend under the glue flap I8, and the lug23 will engage the lug l5 of the section 2a. Thus the side bottomsection 4a, which is lowermost of the several bottom sections, will besupported by the side bottom section 2a, and as this overlies the endbottom section 5a it will be supported thereby, and 3a overlies themall, all sections will be supported.

The overlying sections 26a and i5a are important, first of all becausethe overlying sections form extensions of the free adjoining side edgesof the two side bottom sections. One of the extensions has two lugs 23and 26.formed thereon,

and' the other extension has the lug I 5 formed thereon. The lugs 23 andI5 interlock and the lug 26 interlocks with the glue flap l8. Hence theadjoining free side edges of the side bottom sections are tied togetherand interlocked both against lateral and longitudinal separation, and assuch support each other and the two end bottom sections as the endbottom section 5a is disposed between them and the other end 3a lies ontop of both of the side bottom sections. Thus the bottom sections aresupported mainly by the interlock of the side bottom sections and onlypartially by the overlying of one section with relation to the other.The interlock is of further importance as the glue flaps 9, l8 and 2|may let go if subjected to water or certain moisture conditions. Suchrelease of the glue flaps is of no importance, as the two side bottomsections 2a and 4a are positively interlocked, both against lateral andlongitudinal movement; thus the corner of the box may open if the glueflap 9 lets go, but the bottom sections will not separate nor will theyseparate if the glue flaps I8 and 2i let go due to the interlockspecified.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that the member l5a of theside bottom section 21]., upon which the lug i5 is formed, projects aconsiderable distance beyond the line indicated at i6a; that line, bythe way, represents half the width of the box. The extended portion i5aextends substantially a quarter of the width of the box beyond the line"in, and this provides ample material for the formation of the lug I5.

The extension 26a on the side bottom section la also extends beyond theline l6a, which represents half the width of the box, but not as great adistance as the extension i 5a, and while it provides suillcientmaterial for the formation of the lugs 23 and 26, it is desirable thatit should not extend as far as the section i5a, as the extension liathen functions as a guide to guide the section 4a in under the section2a during the extension of the bottom sections. That is, if theextensions I5a and 26a were of equal length, they would meet during theunfolding of the box, and one or another might tend to take thelowermost position, but by making the extension lSa longer, when they domeet they will meet in about the position shown in Fig, 5; thuspositively causing the section 26;: and its connected part 4a to bedirected in under the section I51; and the side bottom section 2a.

The corner 21 formed'on the side bottom section 4a functions in asimilar manner. That is, it engages the under surface of the end bottomsection 3a, and thereby guides the lug 26 into proper position in underthe glue flap i 8.

The cut away end 28 of the end bottom section 5a also serves a purpose.That is, when the box is being opened, if the end of the section 5a werenot cut away as shown, it might tend to override the adjacent end 2b ofthe side bottom section 2a (see Fig. 5), but by being cut away it clearsit and positively insures that the end 2b of the side bottom section 2a.will overlie the end bottom section 5a. Also the cut away portionprovides clearance for lug 23 which would otherwise be covered by thebottom section 5a and thereby prevent interlocking of the lugs l5 and23, but as it is cut away, interlocking of said lugs becomes possible.

The extension I! on the glue tab i8-could be eliminated, but as long asthere is no necessity for cutting out more cardboard than that indicatedat H (see Fig. 1), the portion I! may Just as well be employed. Itincreases the glue area of the flap l8, and furthermore, it increasesthe contact area between the glue flap l8 and the end section 3a,thereby strengthening it, and it also stiifens and reinforces the endbottom section 3a, thereby in general increasing the strength andrigidity of the box.

The blank shown in Fig. 1 is so shaped, cut and creased that it forms acomplete box; that is, the sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 will form the side andend walls of the box, and the sections 2a, 3a, 4a and 5a will form theside and end bottom sections of the box. The blank is furthermore shapedand creased so that the several sections may be folded, glued andassembled to form a box in flat form, and it futhermore provides a boxwhich may be extended from its folded position to a full open positionby merely exerting inward pressure on the corners 30 and 3| (see Fig.5), said pressure causing theside and end walls of the box to assume aposition vertical and at right angles to each other, and simultaneouslycausing the several bottom sections to become extended and to become aflat interlocked reinforced bottom when the box is fully opened. All thebottom sections when extended are connected both by the glue flaps andby interlocks. They rest on top of each other and are furthermore sopositioned and overlapped that even though the glue flaps should giveway, due to moisture conditions, they will still support and retain eachother in position. In addition to that, the several bottom sections areso cut and shaped that during the extending process, from folded to openposition, each will guide the other into position, thereby eliminatingany chance of one section catching or interfering with the other, so asto impede the opening operation. Otherwise the box is exceedingly cheapand simple to manufacture; it is erected in a minimum of time, and itprovides a bottom structure which is exceedingly strong, durable andrigid, and which does not depend upon the glue flaps to retain it inposition once the box is unfolded and open.

While certain features of my invention have been more or lessspecifically described for purposes of illustration, I wish itunderstood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described and illustrated my in vention, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters'Patent is:

l. A box blank cut and creased to form a pair of side walls and a pairof end walls, said side and end walls being alternately foldablyconnected in end-to-end series, a side bottom section foldably connectedto each side wall, an end bottom section foldably connected to each endwall, a glue flap connected by a diagonal crease line to each sidebottom section, an extension on the outer free side of each side bottomsection, each extension having an outer edge parallel to the fold linesconnecting the side bottom sections with the side wall sections and oneextension extending farther than the other, a pair of opposed lugsformed one in each end of the lesser extension, and a single lug formedon theinner end of the greater extension.

2. A box blank cut and creased to form a pair of side walls and a pairof end walls, said side and end walls being alternately foldablyconnected in end-to-end series, a side bottom section foldably connectedto each side wall, an end bottom section foldably connected to each endwall, a glue flap connected by a diagonal crease line to each sidebottom section, an extension on the outer free side of each side bottomsection, each extension having an outer edge parallel to the fold linesconnecting the side bottom sections with the side wall sections and oneextension extending further than the other, a

pair of lugs'formed one on each end of the lesser extension, onepointing to the right and the other to the left, and a lug formed on thegreater extension and pointing to the right.

3. A box blank cut and creased to form a pair of side walls and a pairof end walls, said side and end walls being alternately foldablyconnected in end-to-end series, a side bottom section foldably connectedto each side-wall, an end bottom section foldably connected to each endwall, a glue flap connected by a diagonal crease line to each sidebottom section, an extension on the outer free s de of each side bottomsection, each extension having an outer edge parallel to the fold linesconnecting the side bottom sections to the side wall sections and oneextension extending further than the other, a pair of lugs formed one oneach end of the lesser extension, one pointing'to the right and theother tothe left, 9. lug formed on the greater extension and pointing tothe right, and an extension on the glue flap which is carried by theside bottom section having the single right-handed lug, said glue flapextension pointing towardsaid right-handed lug.

4. A folding paper box having foldably connected side and end walls,side bottom sections and end bottom sections foldably connected to thelower edges of the respective side and end walls and adapted to liebetween the side and end walls when they are folded fiat, a pair of glueflaps foldably connected one to each side bottom section, said flapsbeing disposed in diagonally opposite corners of the box and glued tothe respective end bottom sections, said glue flaps directing the bottomsections when the box is unfolded to lie fiat and at right angles to theside and end walls, an extension on the free side of one side bottomsection overlying a portion of the other side bottom section, anextension'on said other side bottom section overlying a portion of thefirst named side bottom section, a lug formed on the first extensioninterlocking with a lugon the second extension, and a second lug formedon the first extension said lug extending under interlocking with theglue flap carried by said other side bottom section.

- ROSS A. HIMES.

